Laundry table



June 1, 1943.

P. E. WHITCQMB EI'AL 2,320,961

LAUNDRY TABLE Filed May 12. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1, 1943. P, E,WHITCOMB ETAL LAUNDRY TABLE Filed May 12, 1939* -2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented June 1,1943

LAUNDRY TABLE Percy E. Whitcomb, Elgin, and Oran T. Mcllvaine,

St. Charles, Ill.

Application May 12, 1939, Serial No. 273,326

15 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in ironing tables, and moreparticularly to tables which receive ironed flat work from an ironingmachine.

The object of the invention is to separate automatically individualbundles of clothes as delivered from a flat work ironer onto an ironingtable where they may be assembled or piled by the operator. This objectis carried out by the use of photo-electric or light sensitive meansresponsive to a separator which is passed through the ironer between thebundles of clothes and which will not only indicate the end of,onebundle but will also move the clothes of that bundle for bodilyseparation from the succeeding clothes for assembly and folding by theoperator. This photo-electric or light sensitive means actuatesmechanism which moves a pusher or board transversely of the table forseparation of the clothes and to a position where they may be folded andassembled by the operator.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction andoperation of an ironing table that is designed for receiving clothesfrom a flat work ironer for separation and assembly into bundles, toprovide positive separation of the clothes thereby in a simple andeffective manner without substantial vibration, and to simplify theconstruction of such a table.

We have illustrated a preferred embodiment of this invention in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of theoperating mechanism of the table;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof, showing a portion of the ironerdiagrammatically with relation thereto Fig. 5 is a detailed sectionalview through the transfer board thereof;

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical sectional view there of, longitudinally ofthe table; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the invention.

In the normal operation of a fiat work ironer, the various pieces ofclothes of each person are fed successively through the ironer toaccumulate a bundle and in order to separate the clothes of one personfrom those of another, a marker usually is passed through the ironerbetween successive bundles, so as to indicate to sorters that one bundlehas been finished and the following clothes belong in another bundle.With ironing tables used heretofore for receiving the clothes from afiat work ironer, no adequate provision has been made for practicallyand automatically separating the bundles of clothes as they are fed fromthe ironer.

Our improved ironing table has a table top designated generally by thenumeral I, which is supported by brackets 2 at intervals therealong,which in turn are supported upon legs 3 and 3', the legs 3 being locatedat opposite ends of the table while legs 3' are located intermediate theends- Each of the legs 3 has a brace bar 6, extending from the lower endthereof upwardly to the under side of the table top I, to which it issecured, for bracing the forward edge of thetable top. The lower ends ofthe legs 3 and 3' have adjusting screws 5 extending therethrough andcapable of attachment so as to adjust the level of the ironin'g table soas to get it properly positioned with respect to the fiat work ironerwhich is designated generally by the numeral 6 in Fig. 4. The ironer 6has a discharge conveyor belt I that is arranged in overlapping relationabove the table top I to direct the clothes thereto, substantially inthe positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The clothes are delivered to the table top I, substantially at theposition designated C in Fig. 2, and in order to move the clothes out ofthis position, a transfer board or pusher member 8- extends lengthwiseof the table normally in the position shown in the drawings, but capableof sliding movement transversely of the table top to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

lower edge of the transfer board 8 is received in a channel 9 whichrides directly on the upper surface of the table top I, and to insureintimate contact of said channelwith the table top, coiled springs I 0are interposed between the lower edge portion of the transfer board 8and said channel at intervals along the length thereof, as shown in Fig.5. A strip of cushioning material II, such as soft rubber, is insertedin at least one side of the channel 9, between the same and the adjacentside of the transfer board 8, so as to take the shock at the back of theboard.

The transfer board 8 has angle brackets I! connected therewith atintervals, extending through slots I3 in the table top I, which bracketshave their lower ends secured to slides I4, underlying the table top.Each slide I4 is received in a guideway I5, as shown in Fig. 6, forsliding movement transversely of the table top in moving the transferboard 8 and channel 9 therealong. Secured to the underside of eachbracket I 2 is a bracket clip I5, to which is pivotally conthe levers I!being ,at opposite ends of the table while the levers. II areintermediate said ends. The levers I1 and II are mountedfor rockin jmovement on a shaft l8, extending lengthwise of the table and ioumaledin bearings l3 secured ,to the bracket supports 2. Tie rods 2!! connecteach of the levers II with its adjacent lever I'l', while the levers ll'are connected together by angle bars 2|, for unitary swinging of thelevers I1 and I1 transversly of the table to move the transfer board 8and channel 3 over the surface thereof. A coiled spring 22 connects theangle bar 2| with a connecting bar 23 which extends between theintermediate bracket supports 2, so as to be tensioned by the forwardmovement of the levers and relieve the transfer board of shock at theend of the sliding movement thereof.

For actuating the transfer board, acylindrical power device is shown at24 having itspiston 25 connected by a rod 26 with the angle bar 2!. Thecylindrical power device 24 has its opposite ends connected throughflexible tubesjl with opposite sides of a valve device 28, having avalve 29 therein (Fig. 3) for movement to diflerent positions forconnecting a fluid inlet pipe 30 with one or the other of the tubes 21,according to the position of the valve 29. The cylinder may be vented byany suitable means. An electro-magnet 3| is operatively connected withthe valve 29 for moving the same to one position, it being returnednormally to an inoperative position by a spring or other suitable means.The fluid supply nected at I6the upper end of a lever L1 or H, allowsthe control relay to become 'decnergized and release the controlcontacts of the magnet 3|, allowing these contacts toclose and therebyto close an electric circuit to the electro-magnet 3| energizing thelatter and moving the valve 29' to its opposite position. This opens thefluid pressure pipe with the tube 21 leading to the back end of thepower device 24, moving the piston 25 forward therein and causingswinging movement of the levers I1 and II to slide the transfer board 8and its channel 9 forwardly across the table top I, substantially to thedotted line position in Fig. 2. This moves the clothes from the positionC to the position C in Fig. 2, where they may be taken by the operatorfor folding and assembly substantially as indicated at C. This moves theblack cloth marker out from under the photo-electric cell 34, so that itreceives light from the lamp and therefore energizes the control relayto, open the contacts of, and thereby to open the circuit to theelectro-magnet 3|, deenergizing the latter and returning the valve 28 toits initial position, which forces the piston 25 forward in the powerdevice 24 and acts through the frame and levers to move the board a backto its initial position.

-If desired, the device may be used for transferring the clothes fromthe table top onto a moving conveyor belt 40, as shown in Fig. 7, fortransfer to a desired point of assembly or folding.

We claim:

1. In a table, the combination. of a surface adapted to receivearticles'at a point thereon and having a marker receiving portionthereon spaced from said point, means: extending along said surfaceoverlapping said point and I marker portion for moving articles alongsaid surface, means for directing a beam of light onto said markerreceiving portion of said surface,

40. and photo-electric means in position to receive a reflection of saidbeam of light from an article marker on said marker receiving portionand for causing operation of said moving means reflected therefrom tothe photo-electric cell 34.

The cell 34 and lamp 35 are supported on a stand 36 on the table top Iadjacent the point where the blank cloth marker will'be depositedthereon by the ironer. This marker is manually placed by the ironeroperator in a position on the ironer that will cause the marker to bedeposited by th ironer onto the, table top in position to fall withinthe beam of light from the lamp 35 that would normally be reflected tothe cell 34.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus, the conveyor 1 of theironer will discharge the flat work therefrom onto the table top Isubstantially in the position C in Fig. 2, and it will also discharge.the black cloth marker substantially in the position designated B inFig. 2, when the feeding of the bundle of clothes through the ironer hasbeen completed. When the black cloth marker passes into thebeam of lightfrom the lamp 35, it will cut off a reflection of this light to thephotoelectric cell 34, that would otherwise be caused by th polishedsurface of the table or clean white laundry.

Normally the transfer board 8 is in the position shown in full lines inFig. 2, where it is maintained by reason of the forward position of thepiston 25 in the power device 24. However, when to move the articles andthe marker relative to the surface.

2. In a table, the combination of a surface having an area adapted toreceive articles thereon and having a marker receiving portion, a

thereof at said marker receiving portion for causa ing actuation of saidoperating means. I

3. In a laundry folding table adapted to .receive articles from anironing machine, the combination of a surface for receiving saidarticles thereon and having a separate marker movable from the ironingmachine and distinctive from said articles, a pusher member extendingalong said surface, means for operating said pusher member to move thesame transversely of said surface, and photo-electric means'arranged inposition to be actuated only by the presence'ol' said marker in frontthereof on said surface for causing actuation of said operating means.

4. In a laundry folding table, the combination 7 of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon,

a channel having the closed side thereof .resting on said surface andthe open sideupwardly,

a board having an edge thereof within the open side of the channel andextending upwardly therefrom, and means for moving said channel andboard along said surface.

5. In a laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon, a channel having the closed side thereofresting on said surface and the open side upwardly, a board having anedge thereof within the open side of the channel and extending upwardlytherefrom, resilient means interposed between the edge portion of theboard and the base of the channel tending to press the channel againstthe surface, and means connected with said board for moving the boardand channel along the surface.

6. In a laundry folding table, the'combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon,

a channel having the closed side thereof resting on said surface and theopen side upwardly, a board having an edge thereof within the open sideof the channel and extending upwardly therefrom, resilient meansinterposed between the edge portion of the board and the base of thechannel tending to press the channel against the surface, said surfacehaving transverse slots therein, brackets fixed to the board andextending through said slots, and power means connected with saidbrackets for moving the board and brackets along said surface.

'7. In a laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon,

a channel having the closed side thereof resting on said surface and theopen side upwardly, a board having an edge thereof within the open sideof the channel and extending upwardly therefrom, said surface havingtransverse slots therein, brackets connected with said board andextending through the slots, a swinging frame connected with brackets,and power means connected with the frame for moving the board andchannel transversely of the surface.

8. In a laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon, a pusher member resting on said surface andextending therealong, said surface having trans verse slots therein,means including levers and extending through said slots and operativelyconnected with the pusher member for moving the same transversely of thesurface, means connecting said levers together forming a swinging frameconnected with said pusher member, and a power device connected withsaid swinging frame for moving the pusher member along-the surface.

9. In a laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon, a pusher member resting on said surface andextending therealong, said surface having transverse slots therein,means including levers and extending through said slots and operativelyconnected with the pusher member for moving the same transversely of thesurface, means connecting said levers togetherforming a swinging frameconnected with said pusher member, a

fluid power device connected with said swinging frame for moving thesame, electrically operated means for controlling said power device, andphoto-electric means in position to be energized by the presence of anarticle in front thereof on said surface for causing an energizing ofsaid electrically operated means.

10. In a laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon, a pusher member resting on said surface andextending therealong, said surface having transverse slots therein,means including levers and extending through said slots and operativelyconnected with the pusher member for moving the same transversely of thesurface, power means connected with said levers for operating the same,and photo-electric means in position to be actuated by the presence ofan article in front thereof on said surface for causing an actuation ofsaid power means.

11. Ina laundry folding table, the combination of a surface adapted toreceive articles thereon, a pusher member extending along said surface,said surface having. transverse slots therein, levers operativelyconnected with the pusher member for moving the same along the surface,means connecting said levers together forming a swinging frame, a fluidpower device connected with said swinging frame for moving the same,electrically operated valve means for controlling said power device, andphoto-electric means in position to be actuated by the presence of anarticle in front thereof on said surface for causing an actuation ofsaid electrically operated valve means.

12. In laundry folding apparatus, the combination of means for advancinga plurality of ar ticles to be'assembled and having a distinctive markerfor advance with the articles, means having receiving surfaces for saidarticles and marker, a source of radiant energy associated with thereceiving surface for the marker, and means including means responsiveto material variations in the radiations from said source as controlledby the presence of the marker for jointly moving 13. In laundry foldingapparatus, the combination of means for advancing a plurality ofarticles to be assembled and having a distinctive .marker for advancewith the articles, means having receiving surfaces for said articles andmarker, a source of radiant energy associated with the receiving surfacefor the marker, means including means responsive to material variationsin the radiations from said source as controlled by the presence of themarker for Jointly moving the articles and the marker from therespective surfaces and means for returning said moving' means to itsinitial position upon movement of the marker out of said controlposition.

14. In ironing and assembling mechanism, the combination with ironing'means for successive- 1y advancing groups of articles with a markerbetween said groups, of a folding table having a surface in position toreceive the articles from the ironing means for assembly on saidsurface, means for directing a source of light to said surface inposition to be absorbed by the marker, and means operativein response tothe absorption of said light by the marker for moving the assembledarticles from the receiving surface.

15. A laundry foldingtable comprising a flat face area being adapted toreceivefla distinctive marker thereon following the accumulation oflaundry articles on the first-mentioned surface area, means for movingthe laundry articles from said first-mentioned area. andlight-responsive means actuated in response to the presence of themarker on the second surface area for actuating the moving means.

- PERCY E. WHII'CQMIB.

ORAN '1'. MCILVAINE.

